2010 the big election Year

FoE worked hard to ensure that there was a good outcome for the environment and the community from the November 27 state election.

You can find all our election materials and the Party scorecards here.

FoE is working hard to ensure that there is a good outcome for the environment and the community from the November 27 state election.Â

FoE values collaboration, and is working with a range of partners on a number of fronts. Our key campaigns have been around the need for a strong Climate Change Bill, the replacement of the very polluting Hazelwood power station, extra water flows for the Red Gum forests of the mid Murray, and a major retrofit program of Victoria's existing houses.

Our primary alliance at the state level is with the other peak green groups who are most active in Victoria: Environment Victoria, The Wilderness Society, and the Victorian National Parks Association. We have produced a shared vision of what all political parties need to commit to in terms of policy if we are to see a good outcome from the November 27 election here in Victoria.

As has been noted by the premier, John Brumby, both climate change and water will be significant issues in the state election. We will be campaigning on both of these. In addition, we remain deeply concerned about urban sustainability, forests, energy policy and a range of other issues. A key aim will be to see the main parties commit to delivering a strong and whole-of-government style Safe Climate Bill. We also believe that the state election provides a significant opportunity to argue for the need for strong container deposit legislation.

FoE never endorses 'people, party or products', but we do acknowledge that elections offer a great opportunity to influence the direction of society, and so we will be doing all we can to influence all political parties and improve their policy platforms.

Activity

For details on our work around the HRL power station proposal, check here.

For details on our Hazelwood work, check here.

Join our rapid response network

We have a rapid response network for letter writing, call ins to radio stations, responding to on line polls, etc in the build up to the election. To get involved, please send your contact details (email/ mobile) to Cam: cam.walker@foe.org.au with Rapid Response in the subject line.

Turning it around

Working with other green groups, we have been tracking the ALP government with regards to how it has delivered it's election promises. Our analysis is available in the 2007 and 2008 reports, which compare the state government's performance against their election promises on the environment.

Climate safe houses

Another guiding document for our work in 2010 at the state level will be based on the shared report we produced on climate safe homes. In particular, we believe that if Victoria moved to an 8 star standard for new housing, we would greatly reduce emissions from houses while making them far more comfortable places to be in terms of warming and cooling them. It would also drive the creation of a range of 'climate jobs'.

Energy saving action a good step, climate white paper is next challenge: response to Governmentâ€™s announcement of improvements to the Energy Saver Incentive scheme and registration rebates for low-emission vehicles (July 2010). Available here.

Call for Brumby and Gillard to unite to completely replace Hazelwood (July 2010). Available here.

Full phase-out of Hazelwood required for rapid transition from coal (July 2010). Available here.

South Melbourne mobilisation

As our contribution to the work being carried out across Melbourne by the climate movement in the build up to the November election, we are starting election related activity in the inner southern suburbs.

Our first event is leafletting on saturday July 17, details here. All welcome.

We held a public forum in South Melbourne on September 1st on renewable energy options for Victoria. Full details here.

green jobs campaign launch

On wednesday 24th February, FoE joined with the Boomerang Alliance to launch it's green jobs campaign, with a small but colourful presence outside Parliament House in Melbourne. This campaign is seeking to put the idea of Green or Climate jobs at the centre of how all political parties should respond to the climate crisis in the build up to the Victorian state election on November 26.

According to research by a range of groups, including the ACF, ACTU and Environment Victoria, the major green industries that can deliver new jobs in Victoria are:

*Rail manufacturingâ€“ 6,650 new green jobs by 2014 *Renewable Energy â€“ 4,000 new jobs this year *Recycling â€“ 3,100 new green jobs by 2014 *Solar Water Heating â€“ 1,500 new green jobs by 2020 *Energy and Water efficiency- 6,900 new green jobs over 5 years

FoE is calling on the state government to include container deposit legislation in its Green Jobs package. It is estimated that adding a 10c deposit to drink containers would create up to 1,200 new jobs in Victoria within a year.Â

Friends of the Earth acknowledge that we meet and work on the land of the Wurundjeri people and that sovereignty of the land of the Kulin Nation were never ceded. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, and acknowledge the pivotal role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within the Australian community.